Improvement in machine-guns



3 Sheets--Sheet W. B. FAR WEL'L. Machine-Guns.

Patented Sept. 1,1874.

3Sheets--Sheet3.

W. B. FARWELL.

Machine-Guns...

No.l54,596. PatentedSept.'1,1874.

UNITED STATES- WlLLARI) n. FARWELL,OF NnwfYoitK PATENT OFFICE,

GUN COMPANY.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINE-GUNS;

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,596, datedSeptember 1, lS'Z i ;;ap pl ication filed April 13,1874. Y

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLARD BRIGHAM ,FARWELL, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New- York, have invented a new Improvement in Machine Guns, ofwhich the following is a specification:

This invention relates to improvements on the machine-gun for which Letters Patent N 0. 137 ,428 were granted to me on the 1st day of April, 1873; the present invention consisting more particularly. in a new'arrangement of mechanism for feeding the cartridges into the barrels, 111 a new mechanism for confining the cartridges in their places within the barrels when firing, in a new apparatus for lock in g the breech-closers, new n eansibr exploding the charges, and a novel arrangement of mechanism for pointing the gun and traversing it.

By the present invention the mechanism creased, that therefore a smalleramount or ammunition need be carried with a gun, and that consequently the cost of transporting ammunition is immensely reduced. In connection with a series of barrels, whichare arranged horizontally side by side, 1 this traversing--- mechanism is eminently Valuable, because thereby the range of each barrel is changedat each new adjustment of the un sidewise; whereas, in the Gatling gun, for example, by each adjustment the range of one of the barrels only is actually varied, because all the barrels are only fired when they Vertically have the axis of the longitudinal pivot around which they turn.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 repesents a longitudinal vertical section of my improved machinegun," the section being taken through one of the barrels, Fig. 2" is a rear View of the same, partly insect-ion, the

plane of section being in'line. with theaxis of the tail-screw. Fig. 3 isia ertical transverse section on the line of the operating-shaft H;-

Fig. 4, a top view of the mechanism below the barrels.- Fig. 5 is a detail face view o fv the toothed traversing-wheeh on the workingshaft', Fig. 6, a detail side yiewfof the notched bar for-locking and disengaging the hammer;

and Pi 7 a top view, partly in section, of'

the gun. V v r I 9 Similar letters of reference .imlicatecorrespend ng parts in all thefigures.

. AA A in the drawing are the barrelsiot the 'ig'un, which are arranged ,sideibywside, and

mounted on a frame,*B, which has atrunnions Q G, that are supported in the gun carriage D, a suitable turn-table, l hheiiltg interposed between the gun-carriage and theframe that receives thetrunnions, to allow for adjusting the gun laterally by the travers n .emechanism,hereinafter more fully described,' Fis the elevating and depressing screw, working in a nut, a, that is. sunlrintothe carriage D,

i the upper end of said screw enteringacylindrical cap, I), that supports the rear orbreech end of the frame B, sothn-t bjfturning the,

tail screw F, the frame B will be=vibrated on the trnnnions G and the barrels AiAvthereby set at a suitable inclination according to the range which itis desired'toobtaiu; traversing mechanism consists,princip'ally of av worm or screw, G, whichliasdtfs bearings in the back portion of the fram'edjandpasses through a nut, (1,Wl1l0ll is, by'a longitudinal dovetail-shaped projectiome, connected with the'ca-p l1, hereinbefore: nentionedathat is to say, the --dovetail e enters:..a corresponding groove in the upper part ofi theicap. Z The dovetailconnection c allowsthel-nnt dL-to' slide longitudinally on; the cap b, so that thus when the tail screwii is worked the change o nclina- .tion is transmitted, to the [hack 1 piart 'of the frame B through the longitudinal spontaneous motion of the nut'd oathecapjb-that is to say, provided thatthe axis of the worm G .is' brought vertically alcove andinlinewith the axle of the tail-screw F when the barrels Aare N. in, ASSIGNOR; TO THn FanwELL- e11 in a horizontal position. Then it is evident the-i: if muzzle ends ef the barrels are 10 be pointed dowmvard by Zhefievetien of the cap b the axis of the worm G will be displaced farther backward, Whereas the said werm will oe disyieeed farther forward when 'ihe muzzles of the barrels pointed upwardly, emit-he eforementienefl sliding mechanism beiiween the nutd and cap Z to enebie the eerev G in be films displaced forwerdiy er beekwardly in accordance with the direction in which the barrels may e {m i-ed,

It will be observed that oy the dovetail connection with the cap 12 the nut d 'is also prevented 'frern being leterelly displaced.

In the back part 0f the 13 is hung tra-nsre 'eeiy e herizoirt-el shaft, E, which has its crank j at one em 30 that; by means of said crank, it may be revohef. fer operating ehe gun, At we end of the shaft- H is fitted upon the same a: toethed wheel, 9, Woich, y e suitabie clutch-lever, can be moved lengfi'rwise on said shaft, U) be thrown in gear, either with e toothed Wheel, h, er with a pinion, When, by sliding it on the shafb E, the Wheel gis threwn in gear with the mother Wheel h, said teothed Wheel being mounted upon the shaft of the Worm G, then the said were} me ire-revolver: in :1 Bree-tier: ogposit-e to mat ie which the H is being revolved by means 9f the crank f. But when the Wheel G is thrown into gear with the pinien 2 Sfl-iti pinion turning loose on e suiteoie arbor, j, then ggpnflngl' inion, l whiel 7: .nmmeetefi with 11 will mesh into the teeth of thewheei h e116. cause the worm G to revolve in the same direetion in which the shaft H is being turne by means of the crank f Thus, by merely shifting the on the Shaft H, the rumtion or" eke Worm G may be reversed at pleasure. reteting the worm G, the not z?- will afiect the wermehree l thereof, so as, to dis place the worm, as it being" turned, laterally, and thus traverse the entire frame B, ink all itseppendeges,-end eonseguentiy also the barreis. After the gun has been traversed in one direction, it can, by shifting the wheel 5;, be reeaiily traversed in eke oppesite direc tion, and time the field in front of the gun can be swept at preesure. The wheel g is to be provided with e limited number of teeth only, so that intermittent retery motion wiil only be applied to the worm (Sr, being necessary i-e perferm the traversing oper ation previous t0 the firingof the barrels, and therefore 11% Wfiillil be injurious to the mechanism end to the proper operetionef the. gun to impart 21 eon tin nous refer motion to the Worm G, as in the-cease the barrels would in the traversing meeien, even whiie heir fired, the firing operation being also eowt eilefi; by the rotation ef che shaft if but it also desireble te regulate the er. turning so whieh me were. St-is subjected flowing eeeh rotation ef H, bee-ease, wneu gun is set m teke the ran ge (if the euem ,Wo hendreai 'gerais diemnti'rem the gunine trzrverafizre' tion must be larger than when an enemy who is, say, 2:, thousand yards from. the gun is to be reached, as the diverg'eneyof the angle of mijustment will be greatly increased wiafiirthe increased distances. It eonsequently desk able to give the gun more traversing motion when. the enemy is nearer, and less when farther away from the gun; enzi for this purpose I make the few teeth which. I provide an the whee g mijusmble therein, 550 mu; 1' can push any suitable number 0f teeth in rm end first of efieetv,end ieeve any Cresirec'x number projecting eerwariiy e'zrdin effective poeitiom- The fee-eh. of the wheel 5; he; therefere, slotted, shanks, that irreconnested Joy bolts; to the bedy of the Wheel 5;; or $11 eyhave projecting bolts that ese rhroug h. radial slots of wheel 9 and in either case the said teeth can be pushed inward, so that they w ll not arrest the pinion i or the Wheel h; or they can be brought. (mrwerd in gear with the said pinion '6 er whee r. Thus, when, for instance, fer ebmining & short range, it is (he sireble to use eight teeth en the wheel g, the surplus number of teeth is pusher imverdior a ionger r -nge, This part of the invent-inn is fully shown in 5 0f "be firewieg.

In line with file bore ef eeeh barrel A is erre-ng'efl e eylinirice breech closer, 1', Within whisk, the firing-needle mis 'eonteinerl. en me several breeeirelosers E ere, by Cmwnwerdly-prqjecting pins n, respectively, eormeeted with. e longitodinellymomble frw'ue, 3, which slides: in the rame '3. em? werdiy-progleefing pins 1 g of we a, that mesh inte toothed eegw V project from a reek-shaft, L. e

L vibrated by mm mm creek eerme :with heft in therequisire resume and when vibrated it imparts its n'mrioe to the boot'i'lez'i segments and: nwves the racks 0, and by theirmeeos the freme'J forward or backward, may be reqmred, end with that freme the breeeir-eEe-sers The 'breeeh-eiosers more in the rear per-rs er the barrels, and behind, t-hem are arranged in L ,rrele the firing-Hammers M M, which are e2 made in fibre form of ds ehe-heaiied pins, mm are embraced fietweexyt'neir heed gs s. Therein enciefeeez; spring-e? 1 151i a shouider, r2, termed in. the m1- of '53. barrel, sothet the spring .mruy be confirm by pushing the hammer M es fer bee in ba-rrei es it is possible m push the me, as iu F1 1, in which case t L, eized between the from; head 05 hammer M and me said shoulder 43, in. position the hammer M is-ioekei by rz'zerms ef a mine 'irio plate, 31%, that enters, three; a a, slat, me rear parts 0f the :mrreieri'irom be 1m til, em, stands in frent 0f-the rear heed the hammer, 'The'plete N is notched at proper iilYfiF'SZifli-B, than; when it is let-eraliymoved, after having locked the hammer, the notches will successively come in line with therein heads of the hammers M, and thus releaee said.

rear heads and allow the springs 3 t4; expami 154.5% g It and propel the hammers successivelyforward against the firing-pins m in the barrels, I prefer to fire the barrels of the gun successively-- that is to say, to first fire one barreland then another, and so on until they have all been dis charged, and then to reload and again fire the barrels successively. In order to do this the,

aforementioned notches in theplate'N are so placed that when the notch pertaining to the first barrel arrives in line with the hammer'of the first barrel, s0. as. to release the same, all the other barrels will still. retain their hammers in the cocked position. A slight addiQv tional motion of the bar N will release the hammer of the second barrel, but still lock the remaining hammers. A still further slight side motion of N will release'the third barrel,

&c., so that thus successive firings of the several barrels will be attained.

The bar N receives its motion transversely in the frame B by a lever, n, which is vibrated by a cam, 11, that is mounted upon the shaft H, the lever to having a pin projecting into a.

cam-groove of the cam o to receive the requisite vibrating motion i'rom the same.

It will be observed that, by firing" the barrels successively instead ot'liring them simultaneously, the recoil, which would be very material in a simultaneous discharge, is greatly.

reduced in fact, diminished to such an extent as to be hardly perceptible; and that,

nevertheless, by one rotation of the shaft H, all the barrels will be discharged, which is fully as much in the matter of speed as could be attained were the barrels all dischargedsimultaneously during one rotation of the working shaft.

The cartridges, after theyhav-e been exploded, leave their shells within the breech parts of the barrels-tl1at is to say, directly portions of the barrels or cartridge-chainhers,

and they are all connected to a plate or bar, P, that extends transversely. under the barrels parallel with and in front of the plate or frame 9', hereinbelcre referred to. toothed racks to projecting backwardly, and meshing into toothed segments .r, that are mounted upon a rock-shaft, S, hung in the frame 15. The roclrshaft S is vibrated by a crank-connection, y, with acam, 2, that is mounted upon the shaft H, so that, during each rotation of the shaft H,-the shaft S will be rocked first backwnrdand then forward, When the shaft S is rocked backward its toothed segments a carry the bar 1 also backward, and thereby take the cartridgeextractors 0 backward, and cause them with their prongs at the front ends to withdraw the cartrid ge-shells, and to drop them through the openings that are formed by the backward movement of the extractors in front of them.

The plate I has- Before a new cartridge 18 placed in the barrel, the extractors are again moved forward to form supports forthe new cartridge, and to prevent the latter from falling'through. Af-

ter the cartridge-extractors have been moved forward, and the cartridges dropped in from above upon "them, as hereinafter described, the breech {closers'I are moved forward, and

carry the cartridges ahead into the breech ends'of the barrels, and hold them'th'ere'nntil fired. B'ut'in order toprevent thebreecb' closers I from yielding backwardly during the explosion of the cartridges under the influenceof the expanding gases, the saidbreechclosers are especially locked by means of the aforementioned bar J, which, besides its longitudinal motion, is also capable of receiving trausversereciprocatin g motion from a lever, T, which is-pivoted to the frame 13, and which has a pin projecting into'a groove of a cam, 60?, that is mounted-upon the shaft H. I W'heh the frame or plate J, and with it'each of the breech-closers, is in its forward position, the 1 said, plate J is moved sidewise by the lever T, so as to carry its projecting arms b shownin I ig. 4, directly behind the back edge I of the openings in the barrels, in which the extract ors 0 move when liberated. T he arms 11 then look the brceclbclosers'l in their forward position, and prevent them from being pushed backward by the force of the explosion" ot'the cartridges. After firing, the first niotionis a transverse motion of the bar J, whereby its arms 12 are carried clear away from and out of line of the barrels, allowing the breechclosers thereupon to be moved backward, and

the cartridge-extractors to follow in theman ner already shown. The motion imparted to the frame J and breech-closers is'gre'ater than tion of the cartridge-extractors are formed in the upper parts'of said barrels openings for the reception of cartridges from the chargingmagazine.= This charging -1nagazine U con sists principally of a transverse] y-slidin g frame which is, by longitmlinal partitions (1 d divided into a series of-compartments or chambcrs, each compartment having the sizenccessary for the reception of one cartridge. In-

termittent transverse rectilinear motion is imparted to this chargbig-magazine U by means of a pawl, 0 which is actuated by a rocking lever, V, that receives its motion from a cam, 'W, on the shaft H. After each discln'n'gc of the cartridges in the barrels,"'the charging-in.=;1-gazine U is moved by means of said pawl, which enters a toothed rack formed at the. side of the charging-magazine sut ficient to bring one new oba-mbea: and triclge over each barrel, so that the eertridge in said chamber may be dropped into the barrel upon the cartridge-extractor to pushed into place by the breech-closer. Dino ing the motion winch is imparted to the eliaeg sary to (lisengsgeiz yom oil the rack on the cberglngi iligezine to enable the said springff 'to (Barry the charging-magazine back into its first position. This (lisengeging of the pawl from the reel: may be made to take place automatically by means of a pin, m projecting from the side of the upper ehergizigmagazine, and ectuatixigthe pawl at the proper time to release it; from the racks, or by any other means. supplying the mega-zine i use the inverted charging-magazine X, of the same size and construction substantially as the chergin g-magazine U, but with inverted supply, as shown. This sm iply-megazine X is filed. with cartridges, one in each chamber, and. has its lower openings closed by means of two shoes, 9 and h. The slide g closes, say, every live alternate elze iers, and the slide 21? every remaining oi eve eimnjabeys, boil: said plates being open, in line with the solid parts of each other. When the supply-megs zine X has been placed over: the ohargingmgeeieenllin The shown it is only.

necessary first to drew the slide g 'so as to bring its solid iortions under the solid portions of the slide h; thereby the chambers that were closed by the slide 9 are all ogiened and their cartridges discharged into the corresponding (shen'ibers of the ellswing-magazine U. The slides g and k are then moveci simultaneously to bring their solid portions ungier the chambers that were last emptied, and the chambers that had been closed by 7a are thereby emptied into the remaining correspomling' ohembers of the charging-magazine. The supply-magazine X is then entirely emptied, and can be removed from the chm-misgmeg'azine U, leaving the same in condition is eherge the barrels five times or more, if e larger number of chambers is provided in said charging-magazine for each barrel.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination of the tell-screw F with. the swivel-cap Z), and with the dovetail attachment 6 of the not (I of the traversing appemtos, si'abstentieliy as specified.

2. The working-shaft H, carrying the edjust-able wheel g, and. combined "with the pinion 21, toothed wheel; 12 and traversing? Worm G, for operation saibstantielly described.

3. The Wheel 9 for transmitting the trove-rs motion, made with sliding teeth that e'zm be drawn inward out of eiibct or pushed outward, as and. for the purpose (leseribed.

l. The laterally-movable bar ll, arranged in e. msehieegun so that enters the barrels to loci: the firing-liztmmers Evil ii the mannei' described, and notched at intervals to cause the barrels to be fired successively and not simulta-uelmsly, as set forth.

The bar 3, combined with the breechelosers I moved backwzu'li and i'brward, and also laterally, to early the breech-eloser's into the proper positions and to lock the same during the liv ing operet-ion, as speoiiiella ii. The combination of the supply-megazine X, subdivided as described, anti provided with the slides g and h', with. the cherging-magezine U, which is also subdivided and. has an intermittent reotil i near motion V substantially as and for the psi-pose hereiunefore Cieseribed and set forth.

'Z. The combination of the cartridge-megazine U, which is subdivided into chambers, with e series of ban-sis, A. A, having openings beneath a number of said ollmnbers, and with a pawl, 6 and actuating-lever V, all arranged so that the magazine will be above the barrels and drop the cartridges into the same, substantiully as described.

'WiLLARD B. FARWELL.

A. V, BEIESEN, E. O, WEBB.

and with. mechanism whereby it 

